Justice Equality Initiative

Jesus calls us to, “set at liberty those who are oppressed.” While Baptists are a people who seek for justice to be done and grace to be granted, we recognize the current criminal justice system often misses the mark. When impoverished people and racial minorities do not receive equal protection under the law, Jim Crow is resurrected and God’s beloved children are oppressed.

In the 1970’s, fewer than 350,000 people were held in US prisons nationwide. Today, more than 2 million people are currently being held in US prisons with the poor and racial minorities disproportionally represented in this population. Upon release, formerly incarcerated individuals face the daunting task of rebuilding their lives when employment opportunities are scarce, housing is competitive, and participation in civic life is limited. Such an unyielding environment leads to high recidivism rates.

The New Baptist Covenant movement is working to advance the redemptive purposes of God’s Kingdom by confronting the issue of justice equality. If you would like to join this effort, we encourage you to review and implement the Healing Communities Toolkit in your congregation. Communities with 5 or more church wishing to be coached in these methods are eligible for a free training workshop. Contact Rev. Dr. Dee Dee Coleman (revdeedeec3@aol.com ) for more information.